Parents say

Kids say

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The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Educational Value

Kids can learn how to play with others in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, including practicing communication and strategy skills to achieve a common goal. The quests set objectives to be accomplished, some as a team while others are for individuals. Players participate in an in-game economy of crafted items. Players of this MMO will practice communication and achieving goals with others, but much of the game involves inflicting violence on others.

Positive Messages

As with other massively multiplayer games, the foundational message of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is that violence is the only solution to the troubles that plague not only the island of Pandaria, but also the fictional world of Azeroth. But it does also encourage players to work together to accomplish goals.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Players can decide whether to play on the side of the Alliance, the Horde or the somewhat-neutral panda-like creatures of Pandaria in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. While the Horde has a more evil look, how players interact with others and the choices they make during the game will determine if they are good or bad. Ultimately, players on either side have the same general quests that require killing creatures that have not been seen doing anything wrong.

Ease of Play

World of Warcraft, as a franchise, has always been easy to jump into a play. This game has an easy learning curve that enables players to grow with their characters, starting with easy quests and few skills to more advanced quests and an increased number of skills as they move deeper into the game.

Violence

In World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, players will use guns, bows, bladed weapons, and even explosive devices to kill fantasy creatures and human-like non-playable characters. In addition, players can engage in player-versus-player combat and kill other players. The violence against NPCs is more graphical, resulting in dismemberment, blood splashing, and even creatures exploding into red chunks.

Sex

The elves in World of Warcraft: MIsts of Pandaria dance in a suggestive manner and some of the dialogue can have sexual innuendo. There is a flirt command that prompts some of the dialogue (such as "Is that a mana wyrm in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”). Female characters can wear clothing that approximates a bra or bikini top and some players in the community will run about in as little clothing as possible.

Language

The non-playable characters in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria can use colorful language that includes words such as "ass," "bitch," and "bastard."

Players can drink mead and wine in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, and consuming too much results in impairment of movement and a slight blurriness of the screen -- that is until the effects wear off.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is an expansion to massively multiplayer online game of World of Warcraft. This expansion requires the full game to play and also requires a monthly subscription fee (of around $15 a month) to continue to play. The game is played in an open world with a lot of quests and other humans playing characters to adventure with and interact with. Violence is front and center, with players killing fantasy creatures and human-like non-playable characters in ways that include blood, dismemberment, and exploding body parts. There is some sexy flirting and use of alcohol.

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What's it about?

WORLD OF WARCRAFT: MISTS OF PANDARIA introduces a panda-like race and kung-fu into the world of Azeroth. The island that holds the Eastern-style villages of the pandarwns was essentially undiscovered until recently and the threat to the way of life of the gentle folk is at risk. This expansion not only introduces the new territory, a new race and new classes, but also raises the level cap to 90 and offers new group raid dungeons.

Is it any good?

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is a nice expansion that offers some visually pleasing environments. The pandas look cute and cuddly but can pack a pretty good punch. Blizzard does not release too many expansions for WoW, and this is a decent addition that does not reinvigorate the franchise but does add a bit of newness to a game that is showing its age.

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